Royals' bumper crop poised to back up buzz

The buzz has been hard to ignore. Now those causing it want to get out there and back it up.

The Kansas City Royals have largely been lauded as having
the best farm system in baseball currently. Six Royals
prospects landed on MLB.com's Top 50 Prospects list and
there are several more legitimate ones who aren't far outside of that group.

It is, by all accounts, a bumper crop few have seen before.
Of course, skeptics won't be convinced until all this talent
is performing and turning the club's fortunes around in the big leagues, and perhaps rightfully so. The Royals have seen too many sure things fail to pan out as hoped over the years.

"[Assistant general manager] J.J. Picollo and [general
manager] Dayton Moore stress it to us," said Eric Hosmer,
the No. 8 overall prospect on MLB.com's Top 50 and No. 2 on
the Royals' Top 10. "Just because our Minor League system is
ranked No. 1 doesn't mean you get a free playoff berth.
Everyone has come into camp and is ready to go."

Many of them, including Hosmer, in all likelihood, will get
going at Double-A Northwest Arkansas. The Naturals won the
Texas League title in 2010, and much of the talent that made the playoff run will return, at least to start the season. The rotation goes five deep with legitimate prospects, while bats like Hosmer and Wil Myers will provide plenty of offensive firepower.

"Just looking at that staff, if you're a
guy coming in to face us, pick your poison," said Hosmer, who many feel won't finish at that level, should he even start there. "We saw them do what they did last year in Double-A, everyone's had experience in
that league. We just want to play our game and move up the
ladder as fast as we can. If it's Northwest Arkansas where we go, it'll be a pretty good team. The fans there are great. Overall, it'll be a good year.

"I think everybody's excited. After putting up decent numbers in Double-A, seeing that guys move from Double-A to the big leagues, it clicked in our heads that we're knocking on the door and our time is almost here."

Royals' Top 10 Prospects

1. Mike Moustakas, 3B: He tied for the Minor League
lead in home runs a year ago and that power is ready to hit
the big leagues. He's got terrific bat speed and has the
ability to hit it out to all fields. Some question his
ability to stay at third, but he should get the chance to
prove himself there in Kansas City at some point in 2011.

2. Eric Hosmer, 1B: Moustakas might get there first,
but Hosmer won't be too far behind to man the other infield
corner for a long time. He's got a great approach at the
plate and he should hit for average and power, all while
playing an above-average first base defensively. He'll be
one of a host of Royals prospects beginning the year in
Double-A.

3. Mike Montgomery, LHP: Size, stuff and a feel for
pitching, all from the left side. Montgomery has a plus
fastball and curve that isn't far behind, while his changeup
is catching up in a hurry. He missed two months last year,
but he should be good to go, starting on that Northwest
Arkansas juggernaut and going from there. A visit to Kansas
City before the year is out isn't unreasonable.

4. Wil Myers, OF: After beginning his career by
hitting .324/.429/.533, the Royals realized that his bat
might get to the big leagues faster as an outfielder. There
were questions about his ability to catch and he's more than
athletic enough to handle an outfield corner. He's got great
plate discipline, and should grow into more power. Just 20,
he'll join Hosmer in NW Arkansas.

WHEN WILL THEY ARRIVE?

5. John Lamb, LHP: Taken in the fifth round of the
2008 Draft, Lamb reached Double-A last year just after
turning 20. His pure stuff may not be quite as good as
Montgomery's, but he's got plenty to work with -- a plus
fastball and changeup as well as an effective curve and all
of it plays up because of his outstanding command. He'll
join Montgomery in that Double-A rotation and it could be a
race to see who gets to Kansas City first.

6. Jake Odorizzi, RHP: Odorizzi will be making his
debut in the Royals organization this April, coming over as
a key to the Zack Greinke deal with the Brewers. One Midwest
League scout thought he was the best arm he saw in that
league in 2010. He has the chance to have four pitches that
are average or better, especially as he refines his command.
He'll move up to Class A Advanced Wilmington with some
thinking he could eventually be a Greinke-like starter at
the big league level.

7. Danny Duffy, LHP: That's right, another lefty.
Duffy left baseball for a spell last year, but returned and
pitched his way to Double-A, throwing well there. He's got a
good feel for pitching and more than enough velocity,
complementing his fastball with a pretty good changeup and a
slow curve. He'll be a part of that NW Arkansas rotation,
competing with Montgomery and Lamb to be the best southpaw
on the staff.

8. Christian Colon, SS: The No. 4 overall pick last
June signed in a hurry and got 60 games under his belt,
giving him a nice head start into his first full season.
He's got a great approach at the plate, which should allow
him to hit for average and some power. He's got terrific
instincts which allow him to maximize what tools he has. He
doesn't have a ton of range, but might be able to stay at
short because of those instincts. He'll be another among the
mass of prospects in NW Arkansas.

9. Chris Dwyer, LHP: Southpaw No. 4 slated to be in
that Double-A rotation at the start of the year, Dwyer has a
good three-pitch mix to use to his advantage. His best pitch
is his breaking ball and it can be a plus offering, while
his fastball and changeup are nothing to sneeze at. The back
injury that ended his season early in 2010 isn't expected to
be a problem going forward.

10. Aaron Crow, RHP: Things did not go exactly
according to plan for the 2009 first-round pick in his first
full year. He had some serious command issues, but his pure
stuff -- his fastball and slider in particular -- still
grades out well. He's slipped on radars a bit, but the
Royals still have plenty of hope. He'll be the lone
right-hander in NW Arkansas's rotation to start the year.

Under the Radar

Will Smith, LHP: You can never have too many lefties,
right? The Royals got Smith from the Angels last July in the
Alberto Callaspo deal. He got pushed by the Angels, but the
Royals liked what they saw post-trade. It will be
interesting to see where he starts the 2011 season as there
doesn't appear to be room in the Double-A rotation for the
time being.

Salvador Perez, C: The Venezuelan catcher, signed
back in 2006, has drawn rave reviews for his defensive
skills throughout his career. He can really block the plate,
throws well and pitchers love throwing to him. He also
started to hit a bit in 2010, making the Carolina League
All-Star team while hitting .290 over 365 at-bats. It should
be fun watching how he handles that talent-laden staff in
Double-A this season.

Predictions

Hitter of the Year -- Eric Hosmer
The only hesitation with this selection is if Hosmer hits
his way to Kansas City before most people expect. If not, he
could very well contend for an organizational triple
crown.

Pitcher of the Year -- John Lamb
So many lefties, only one can be chosen. Anyone in that NW
Arkansas rotation could step up and nab this honor, but it
will be Lamb's stuff and command that allows him to dominate
at two levels and earn a callup to Kansas City before the
year is over, enough to win his second straight Pitcher of
the Year nod.

Jonathan Mayo is a reporter for MLB.com and writes a blog, B3. Follow @JonathanMayoB3 on Twitter. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.